What’s wrong with being gay? AnswerHomosexual behavior versus the Bible: Are people born gay? Does homosexuality harm anyone? Is it anyone’s business? Are homosexual and heterosexual relationships equally valid?

The plot of “X-Men: The Last Stand” repeats the conflict of the first two movies in which the mutants are divided into pro-human and anti-human camps. The catalyst for the conflict is the creation of a new drug which alters the mutant gene and transforms the mutant into a “normal” person. The sub-plots focus on Cyclop’s inconsolable loss of Jean, Rogue’s inability to cope with the distance her power places between her and Bobby, and Wolverine’s unrequited love for Jean. Additionally, there is an interesting twist between Magneto and Mystique that reinforces this theme of relationships, what bonds them, and what breaks them.

Professor Xavier’s team acquires new characters like the Beast (Kelsey Grammer) and Angel (Ben Foster), while Magneto picks up a prickly mutant (Luke Pohl), and my favorite, Multiple Man (Eric Dane), who has the power to replicate himself. Dane’s engaging smile and well-delivered lines enables him to do more with less material than almost any actor in the film. However, Ellen Page as Kitty Pryde, the girl who can pass through matter, steals nearly every one of her scenes. She manages to project a strength that is simultaneously intelligent, vulnerable, and yet innocent, an impressive feat for a young actor. She’s one to watch for in the future.

The story follows Magneto and his bunch as they gather mutants and attack the Island of Alcatraz, the former prison which has been turned into a facility to manufacture the anti-mutant serum from Leech’s blood. Leech (Cameron Bright), whose power is to negate the power of other mutants, is kept in a clinically pristine room where he sits on the linoleum floor and plays video games. Bright infuses his acting with the same tortured quality that Haley Joel Osment brought to the “The Sixth Sense” and also turns in a strong performance in comparatively little screen time.

The movie makes much of Jean, now Phoenix, as being the final stage in the evolution of mankind. Magneto calls her “A goddess!” and she may very well be the sacred feminine that “The Da Vinci Code” misplaced. Arguably, however, it is Leech who is the last mutant because his mutation negates all other mutations. His pre-eminent quality is one of kindness and it raises the profound question that the matter of difference, of mutation, which each of the movies constructs as a metaphor for racial and sexual identity, is internal and not external. To quote Martin Luther King, the movie seems to suggest that one’s identity does not depend on the (blue) color of one’s skin, but on the content of one’s character. Hence, the issue of whether to remain a mutant or to become fully human, and to whom one owes one’s allegiance once such a change takes place, has more to do with inner values like justice and love, than with external distinctions like color and the desire for power.

One of the greatest flaws in the movie is how it dispatches with a major character. If one assumes that this is the last movie in the franchise, than the death of the character is strangely dismissive. I have no special knowledge, but the character’s death is so counter to film convention which demands that such moments are played for maximum emotion (as another is played later in the film), that I believe the character will be found alive in a sequel. Unlikely, but it’s the only rationale that would explain such a strange disappearance.

Another fault is the prolonged sequence with the Golden Gate Bridge, a silly and extended piece of CGI trickery which probably cost a fortune to make and contributes absolutely nothing to the excitement, to the story, or to any character. The movie was 30 minutes shorter than the other two probably because special effects ate up so much of the budget. Ratner and the writers should have spent that time and money constructing backstory for the new mutants who basically have cameo roles (Angel) or wooden parts (The Beast).

The Beast, unlike Aslan, is a tame Beast and is not quite convincing as either a scientist or a scary creature. He’s pretty much blue and strong and punches hard. The writers miss the point in their portrayal of the Beast even though they try to copy the comic book version. He is called the Beast because of the contrast between his intellectual and subliminal natures. As Xavier remarks of Jean, “I’m trying to restore the psychic blocks and cage the beast within.” This is the universal commonality between mutants and humans, between people of different cultural backgrounds. We can either let our reason form the basis of our relationships, or let our ids fight it out. Xavier’s group represents the first solution; Magneto, in his Nitzschean drive for power, prefers the latter, the “oberman” solution.

Likewise, the conclusion of the fight between Iceman and Pyro is anti-climactic, as is that between Wolverine and a mutant who can regenerate limbs. In those instances, the movie settles for juvenile humor in moments where an imaginative darkness would be more appropriate to the material. One example of a convincing scene is the fight Wolverine has with a mutant who throws darts. It’s not as good or as long as his fight in the second movie, but it has the proper serious tone. Chopping people’s limbs off is not funny, and in this scene the intent of the two mutants to kill one another shows a serious and adult understanding. Violence should never be portrayed casually, flippantly, insensitively, or gratuitously. Violence is sometimes necessary; it is never funny.

As alluded to above, the film’s principle weakness is that the writers injected more exposition than backstory. There are several overt references to race and a number of covert references to homosexuality. At one point the Professor portentously says to the “colored” Storm: “Things are better out there. But you of all people know how fast they can change.” Later, the “colored” Mystique refuses to respond to a question because, she indignantly claims, “I don’t answer to my slave name.” On another occasion, a black prison guard shouts at Mystique as she assumes the form of the President of the United States. The camera goes to close-up and the black guard says: “Mr President: shut up!” Mystique next changes to the image of a small white girl and the guard shouts: “Shut up, *****!” The acute pretentiousness of the dialogue and camera angles make it clear that this was the film’s symbolic “speaking truth to power” moment, full of sound and banality. On the one hand, Mystique affirms the privilege of victimization with her color; on the other hand, the black officer negates it with his abhorrent conduct, which he later pays for. These are contradictory and ambiguous messages about race in the movie and both satisfy and unsettle audience members of the left and the right. I think that’s as it should be.

There are also specifically gay moments in the film. During one of the protests a television reporter says, “Some are desperate for this cure while others are offended by the very idea of it.” This is the case in our culture today where ex-gays who are born-again Christians travel the country speaking about their faith and newfound straight life. This offends gays because many believe there is a gay gene. (Coincidentally, there is a report on the “gay gene” in the current issue of The Advocate, the national Gay and Lesbian magazine.)

For viewers who find the assertion that there is a gay subtext difficult to believe, Carina Chocano in the L.A. Times writes:

“the mutant concept in “X-Men” is particularly applicable to the gay experience, a metaphor that was cleverly pinged and poked in the films directed by Bryan Singer” [i.e., the first two X-Men movies].

Roger Ebert observes,

“There are so many parallels here with current political and social issues. I thought of abortion, gun control, stem cell research, the ‘gay gene’ and the Minutemen.”

Phil Villarreal comments:

“The first [movie] could be read as a parable advocating for gay rights. The second was laced with commentary on race relations and the AIDS epidemic.”

Walter Chaw had the strongest reaction, exclaiming, that the movie is…

“an example of what can happen when a homophobic, misogynistic, misanthropic moron wildly overcompensates in a franchise that had as its primary claim to eternity that it was sensitive to the plight of homosexuals,” and he calls the movie Brett Ratner’s “painfully queer X-Men.”

And he has a point, for the movie is “painfully queer” in the sense that it both sympathizes with and seems to criticize the gay movement. A gay writer, Michael Musto, satirically pronounces it “a giant metaphor for the ex-gay movement!”

“Actor Sir Ian McKellen complained on the set of upcoming sequel “X-Men: The Last Stand”, because he wanted his character Magneto to have some gay sex scenes. “The Lord of the Rings” star, who has been openly gay since 1988, insists a homoerotic sub-plot would have enhanced the movie. McKellen tells Empire magazine, ‘He hasn’t been given a love line, which I think is a pity. It would be wonderful if the camera hovered over Magneto’s bed, to discover him making love to Professor X.’ However, McKellen admits he needed camera trickery to help him match Magneto’s muscular physique.

If, as gay and liberal writers seem to agree, the movies signify the gay experience, than they clearly suggest that there are “good” gays and “bad” gays: the good ones assimilate while the bad ones stage violent protests. The same is true of race and of the abortion issue. In other words, I’m suggesting that either the writers, or Ratner through his direction, opted for a more complex portrayal of minorities in which they are not only victims but victimizers. This is not a politically correct message and is why, I believe, the mainstream critics so strongly dislike the movie and Ratner’s direction. It goes against multi-cultural orthodoxy which dictates that minorities must always be saintly (or angry) victims and white men and the institutions they represent must always be stupid or evil. In this movie, the preponderance of the bad mutants, if anything, comprises more minorities, a conspicuous reversal of the race message in the “Matrix” movies and a fact that troubles the most liberal reviewers.

Similarly, the issue of abortion and choice is handled with a double-edged ambivalence. In at least two scenes, viewers observe crowds of protestors outside the serum clinic where mutants line up of their own free will to receive the injection to effectively kill the mutant life within them. “We don’t need a cure!” the protesters shout, and, indeed, no one is forcing them to get one. But the spectacle of the crowd is a highly complex one because it elicits the common image of protests outside abortion clinics, thus criticizing both those who protest abortions and those who get them. In keeping with my interpretation, I believe this represents an indictment not of any particular position, because right can be found on both sides of any given issue, but it indicts the means by which grievances are expressed. The movie, ironically, is against violent expression and demonstrates that violence, regrettably, must sometimes be used to counter those who resort to violence first. Hence Magneto’s self-justification that “they have drawn first blood.”

Intellectually, the movie promotes dialogue, negotiation, and assimilation. Emotionally, it shows the love that Rogue has for Bobby, that Cyclops and Wolverine have for Jean, and, in a poignant moment, the love that the Professor has for Wolverine. (Whether that is a gay moment I will leave to the gay reviewers to determine.) On the other hand, it shows the lack of love that Magneto has for Mystique. Teamwork and sacrifice are emphasized both at the beginning and the end of the film, while the ego-centeredness of Magneto, Phoenix, and even Juggernaut (Vinnie Jones) are punished.

Admittedly, the first half of the movie is a choppy mess in which the pacing seems mechanical and episodic. And while every reviewer blames director Brett Ratner for this and other crimes against humanity, much of the responsibility lies with the story-telling. Unlike the first two movies, neither Brian Singer nor David Hayter were involved in the writing which I believe explains the poorer dialogue, the thinner characterization, and the heavy-handed cultural references.

The movie is violent, and it has more nudity than any conservative Christian can be comfortable with, showing extended shots of Mystique’s naked chest and back. Depending on a family’s acculturation, those scenes, brief though they are, may be deal breakers. (For those who would like to take a chance on the content, the more egregious scene with Mystique occurs when she begins to walk out of the truck.)

It’s a shame because aside from those scenes and three swear words (two “b” and a “d” word), “X-Men: The Last Stand” is more gratifying for fans than not, and more complex than either of the first two films in seeming to portray both sides as being sometimes rational, sometimes irrational; sometimes right, sometimes wrong. Ultimately, the Professor demonstrates true love and grace for Jean, as a Father might His child.

I cautiously recommend the movie for Christian audiences, but with a heavy emphasis on the caveats in the previous two paragraphs.

Positive—Having just come back from seeing the third and presumable final installment of the “X-Men” series and being an “X-Men” fan myself, I have to say that I’m mostly thrilled. First and foremost, I have to say that this is THE action film of the summer and “Superman Returns” will have to be very good to beat this one. This film is fast-facted, exciting, and extremely well made. The new characters aren’t very well-developed however, and the not all of the old characters are developed much further, although they are pretty much already established. Parental warning, though, this movie is much darker, and more violent than the last two and lots of people, including main characters, die, some rather graphically.

So, that is to say I’m thrilled with the quality of this film, but from a Christian point of view, “X-Men: the Last Stand” is a bit morally ambiguous. However, it does emphasize making the right choices, even when it seems easier for us to make the wrong ones, often it is better for the other person if we do what is right. It also, in regards to the issues of tolerance addressed in the last film, questions whether we most also embrace the beliefs of the person we are tolerating or simply accept them but not necessarily join them. In the end, however, most of the main characters do make the right choices, even if they are hard to make.

Having said that, I can heartily recommend this film to most fans of the first two, although nonstop and sometimes graphic violence, as well as a scene of sexuality and brief nudity, prevent me from giving it an “average” rating and I would only recommend it for children younger older than 15.My Ratings: Offensive / 4—Taran Gingery, age 19

Positive—Having read the X-Men comic series, I felt more positive than negative about the movie. Although I agree with the reviewer that the movie was weak on character development, I disagree with the comparisons to racism, homosexuality, and abortion clinic protests. The conflict between mutants and normal humans is a continual theme within the comics, and those conflicts will manifest the same as other conflicts. Sometimes the surface level meaning is just that. (By the way, Prof. X’s words to Storm is, “You of all people know how fast the weather can change.”)

As for Professor X, he has a paternal love with all his X-Men and other students. Whatever meaning viewers take beyond this (i.e. between Prof. X and Wolverine) is pure fabrication.

I am surprised no one seemed to notice the scene between Warren/Angel and his father near the end of the movie. I do not want to spoil anything. But in these days where rebelling against “bad” parents is encouraged, it was very encouraging to see Warren’s love for his father manifesting itself.

In terms of continuity with the comics, I was thrilled to see Kitty/Shadowcat brought in as one of the team members (although the movie should have shown why she was elevated to this position). Ellen Page, I agree, did an excellent job portraying her character. Disappointingly, Nightcrawler (you remember him from X-Men 2?) was no where to be found. This made no sense whatsoever. My greatest disappointment, as with the first two movies, was Halle Berry’s portrayal of Ororo/Storm. Storm in the comics is a motherly figure; she gained this in her home in Africa where she used her gift (mutant ability) to help her people. We do not see this from storm in the movies.

Finally, there’s Jean Grey’s transformation into Phoenix. In the comics, Phoenix is a cosmic entity that takes Jean’s form after enveloping Jean in a healing cocoon from severe radiation poisoning. In taking Jean’s place, Phoenix forgot its true identity and thought it was Jean, and so no one knew the truth. Unfortunately, emotions were foreign to Phoenix. When a mind-bending mutant corrupted Jean/Phoenix, the dark passions were first experienced and enjoyed, and in so doing Phoenix became Dark Phoenix—a creature so consumed with dark passion that it consumed a sun and wiped out an entire solar system, one containing a planet with sensient beings, for the sheer pleasure of the sensations. With the help of other aliens, Professor X was able to put mental blocks on the Dark Phoenix, but only loosely. The other aliens wanted to destroy Jean/Phoenix to prevent her from destroying other suns. The X-Men fought to save her. But Jean/Phoenix, realizing she couldn’t control the Dark Phoenix, and feeling horrified at what she had done, fired a powerful ray gun on herself, ending her life (although the Phoenix force survived—but that’s another long story). The point to all this, considering the time constraints of the movie, I can forgive the changes they made to having Phoenix being Jean’s own ability. It does, however, lessen the true essence and power of the Phoenix.

By the way, if you have not seen the movie yet, make sure you stick around until after the credits. One more critical scene is given then.My Ratings: Average / 3—Deanna Marquart, age 35

Positive—Compared to the previous two films:

For content: there was more sexuality. That consists of a groping/make-out scene with some suggestions, but no nudity or anything perversely graphic in it. Then there is a view of a woman nude, but nothing directly shown with it being a side view (I can’t get into any more detail or I’ll spoil something for you).

For language: there is a little more than the last two. I didn’t catch the token F-bomb, which surprised me actually, but there are some blatant remarks—one being to a little girl, but it isn’t “exactly” to a little girl (again, I can’t get into it).

For violence: there was a lot more, but nothing that was really gross. Just a lot of kicking, stabbing, shooting, and explosions. The Phoenix looks pretty nasty at times and does some disintegrating moves on some characters. It didn’t seem to be too much for a PG-13 film though.

As for the quality of filmmaking, it was really impressive, but the writing around the second half was just full of lame one-liners. It’s entertaining and provides some awesome computer graphics, but character development was lacking. Since I’m not a hard-core X-Men fan and have never read the comics, I hear that they at times stray from the original storyline, but did a fairly good job at sticking with the comic book stories.

My Ratings: Offensive / 4—Brandon, age 20

Positive—I rarely see movies on the opening night, but since I saw “X2”, I could not wait for this film. I assure you, it did not disappoint. It was well-written and action-packed with some of the best computer effects I’ve ever seen. I will most definitely be purchasing this film on DVD. As far as morality and the Christian worldview are concerned, I wouldn’t recommend this film for anyone under about 14 or 15—there are heavy ethical issues on the line, and, although they did not mention evolution in this film, it’s mentioned in the 2nd and it takes someone who is secure in their faith to remain unaffected by this kind of rhetoric. This film also brought up ethical questions that would be amazing for discussion after the film. The tone of the film was very “heavy” and serious compared to its predecessors. It’s a movie meant to provoke deep thoughts. There is a good amount of violence, but not so much blood, and there are some very scary situations, so parents should not bring young children. Overall, the theme of this movie was a positive one—that these mutants don’t have a disease—and that God meant for them to be the way that they are, and though a “cure” is available, there is nothing to be ashamed of, and that their powers should be used for good and not evil and that all people, no matter what, should learn to love each other and live in harmony.My Ratings: Average / 5—Kirsten, age 20

Positive—Excellent, I absolutely LOVE the movie. It was very likely the best of the trilogy.My Ratings: Average / 5—Nathan Burr, age 19

Positive—As a fan of the X-Men and collecting the comics since 1979, I thought this movie was one of the best. There are some scenes that are not appropriate for anyone under 15. Even though there are underlying themes which many look at (abortion, racism, homosexuality), it’s a comic book film, with good guys vs. bad guys. The fact that 3 major character that have been around since 1965 (the first comic) was dramatic for true fans of the genre, but it worked in the movie.My Ratings: Average / 5—Jim Palmer, age 36

Positive—“X-Men: The Last Stand” is what a good comic book movie should be. This whole franchise has gone deeper than just run of the mill popcorn movies. Movies like “The Hulk” and “Fantastic 4” can’t even compare. This latest installment is no exception, and I think anyone that watches it is really on the edge of their seat from beginning to end. This is the best film of the franchise, and I was thoroughly impressed with it.

As far as content, Mystique is still mystique; obviously she wears more in the comics, and I don’t really understand why they didn’t give her a real costume. there is heavy making out and groping in one scene and a few usages of profanities. it is unfortunate that they feel the need to include these things, but it was still far cleaner than most PG-13 movies.

as far the the gay agenda behind the film, I don’t know the film makers agenda. I know that some of the dialogue in the past has purposely drawn parallels between the mutant story line and the gay issue (for example, when Bobby’s mom says “have you tried NOT being a mutant” in X2), but I do think the intentional parallels are pretty minimal. No matter the agenda or not, there’s gonna be certain similarities in the two matters. This review is definitely reading too much into it though. …My Ratings: Average / 4—Josh, age 19

Positive—…a pretty good movie. While the plot was lacking meat, it wasn’t any worse than the last two movies, and the special effects were awesome. I have to disagree with the writer of this review, though. First of all, if you really look hard and see what you want to, then yeah, there are some “homosexual overtones.” But I don’t think that this is at all what the makers of the movie were going for. So don’t read more into it than is reasonable. Secondly, there is not any racial overtone, either. Yes, Mystique does make a comment that could be perceived that way, but when you take into account the personality of her character, how cynical and sarcastic she is, it is seen for what it really is. Also, the writer of the review misquoted the Professor when he tried to build a case for a racial comment. What Xavier actually said was, “You of all people know how quickly the weather can change.” which is ONLY a reference to Storm’s mutant power, not her race. Don’t be scared away by fear of overtones in this movie—the Hollywood agenda was surprisingly absent.My Ratings: Average / 3—Chris, age 19

Positive—I myself loved the movie. I thought it had great storylines and characters. Of course, I also would’ve liked to have had Angel and Beast’s parts played up a little and also would have liked to have seen at least some of Gambit. I disagree totally that the movie “gay” sub plots or whatever, I’ve seen the movie twice in 2 days and didn’t see anything of the kind. It is true that Ratner played up the CGI stuff, but I think it looks good. It is definitely a teen adult movie and shouldn’t be viewed by the younger audiences as there is a lot of violence and the brief nudity talked about in the review. …My Ratings: Excellent! / 4—Alex Hood, age 18

Positive—This movie was good, though it did need some character development of the new characters. Content-wise the swearing was minor and the “nudity” was non-explicit and non-sexual.My Ratings: Average / 3—Alex, age 19

Positive—This was a good movie in general but I just wish I could have been warned of a few things before watching it with my boyfriend. I am not a big x-men fan so I cannot say if it followed the comic books or not. But the movie could have done without some of the things that were in it.
-There is a full shot of a naked woman barely covering herself.
-There is a very passionate scene between Logan and Jean which isn’t really bad, but could have been taken out or just made a little more appropriate.
-There were a few bad words.
That is really all, other than the violence which really wasn’t too bad. …My Ratings: Average / 3—Victoria, age 18

Positive—Great movie! Should have been longer though seemed a bit rushed. Being a Comic book collector and long time X-Man fan, I was pleased with the movie and surprised by the review posted on this site. Most of all I did not see any gay undertones in the movie. The X-Men as originally created by Stan Lee was unique in that it found a way to address the issues of race and ethnic differences, and the prejudice that comes with it. That is still what it addresses. The Gay movement cannot be compared to the events or attitudes in this movie. Men and Women are not born Gay, there is no Gay Gene. To say so would be to say that God placed a gay gene in man and we all know that did not happen. African-Americans, Caucasians, Asians, and Hispanics are all born a bit different; Gays have a choice no matter what is said. But I guess people will see what they want to see. I wonder how many of them have read through the X-Men series of comic s from the beginning? The movie translated plots directly from the comics quite accurately making a few changes as they saw fit but keeping the overall message the same, That man does not tolerate differences in each other very well.My Ratings: Average / 4—Mark, age 34

Positive—As someone very excited about the X-Men movie series I must say I was a little disappointed with X3. Now I gave the movie a positive score, and I was pleased with how exciting, fun and entertaining the movie was but I was disappointed that X3 was setup in such a fashion that X4 is not likely; this is all I will say I will not spoil the movie.

Morally, there were a few curse words and the movie is INDEED PG-13 however, I am pleased to see these comic book heroes in real life situations be real and not cartoony and fake. In fact, series like X-Men, Superman, Spider Man, Hulk, Dare Devil and Batman (in particular) were dark stories to be told.

…I didn’t pick up any of the agendas stated in this review of X3. I understand battle of racism in history and how that theme can also apply to the x-men, but rightfully so and I don’t think this is an ill agenda but a theme in the movie as the mutants are wrongly being persecuted. …Simply this is a movie and not an agenda driven like the Da Vinci Code…My Ratings: Better than Average / 4—Joshua Pennington, age 23

Positive—“The Last Stand” is unquestionably a solid flick. If you enjoyed the first two films, you’ll love this movie. I think it’s the best one yet! Sure some of the lead characters pass on, but this change proves to be an interesting twist. As always, Ian McKellen delivers a powerhouse performance, as does Hugh Jackman (lest we forget, Wolverine’s muttonchops are awesome, as usual). Their acting prowess is amazing, and they certainly carry the film. The supporting characters—notably Dr. Hank McCoy, Bobby Drake, and Kitty Pryde—are all very convincing and quite likable. My only complaint is two of the biggest and baddest dudes Colussus and Juggernaut (albeit they get some time on the silver screen) NEVER CLASH! I loved seeing these guys slug it out in the early 90’s X-Men cartoon. The ending has a good sense of closure, although I feel there’s room for yet another installment in this series. Thankfully, the filmmakers allowed a little wiggle room for this possibility, and so I wait and hope this story picks up where it leaves off sometime in the “not-so-distant future.”My Ratings: Average / 5—Jacob Keenum, age 19

Positive—I loved this movie and being a child of the X-men comics growing up, I used to read them and always liked the story lines I enjoyed it that much more. …I actually though this was the best of the 3 movies. The acting and the special effects are great. Most of the story comes directly out of the comics, with a little add in for movies sake. I was shocked at some of the language, but other then that it was great. I don’t think there was any nudity; Mystique is covered, I don’t know what people are talking about. … We all know the girl playing Mystique is naked under the airbrush and plastic things, but I don’t think that anybody thinks that during the movie. In fact, their idea in dressing her like that had nothing to do with sexuality. …I know that there are characters that did not get developed much, but I think the writer wanted to concentrate on what we all ready knew. And for all those of us who were X fans to begin with, all ready knew. … There are so many things good in the movie, and I love the whole battle between good and evil. I look at it as though Magneto is not really bad; he takes things too far, and he doesn’t wait to see how thing will turn out. He assumes that things will go bad, and therefore he is the way he is. The father son relationship between angel and his dad is so much like so many people in this world, but yet in the end, Angel comes back and rescues his father even after his dad thought he was a freak and didn’t accept him the way he was. From a Christian standpoint, this is still a good movie. …My Ratings: Better than Average / 4—Jason, age 30

Positive—“X-Men: The Last Stand” was a very enjoyable movie. The special affects were good, and I enjoyed the many subject matters that were hinted to in the movie’s dialogue. There was a very limited amount of curse words. I counted four. There is one scene where Wolverine and another mutant have a pretty intense kissing session, otherwise, sexuality was very limited to non-existent. Overall, this was a great movie and worth the trip to the theater.My Ratings: Better than Average / 4—David McDaniel, age 34

Positive—I’ve seen this movie twice already, and enjoyed it both times. It did have some flaws, which I’ll get out of the way now.

1. Not enough time for certain characters, such as Mystique and especially Cyclops.
2. I could see some people offended by the sexuality in the film, and possible allusions to homosexuality. Homosexuals need to know that most true Christians are not the horrible, bigoted boogeymen shown in movies.
3. The Iceman vs. Pyro fight was a MAJOR disappointment. What could have and should have been a really intense duel between the two ended up being basically just them kind of “arm wrestling” with their powers.
4. No Gambit! He’s one of the coolest X-Men ever, and they didn’t even use him once in the entire series!
Now, for the good parts:
1. The Danger Room scene in the beginning was neat, and exciting.
2. It had some pretty funny moments, such as one sequence when Wolverine has to fight a mutant that can regenerate lost limbs.
3. Although they could have done more with Angel, what they had with him was very visually impressive.
4. Beast! Kelsey Grammer was the perfect choice to play him. I liked how they even had him utter one of Beast’s most famous catch-phrases from the comics.
5. I liked that they used Colossus more in this one than the previous film, though I’d have to agree with the reviewer who was hoping to see a Colossus vs. Juggernaut fight scene. Something like that, if played out well, could have been awesome.
6. The two surprise twists in the very end of the film(You’ll have to wait until after the end of the credits to see the second one), were cool and completely unexpected.
In summary, I think if you liked the previous two films, you’ll like “The Last Stand.”My Ratings: Average / 4—Adam, age 22

Neutral

Neutral—I agree with everything the reviewer, Michael Karounos, has written. I thought the movie was too long and found myself bored and looking forward to when it would finally end. The action is almost non-stop and the special effects are terrific. The best thing about the movie is the soundtrack. It was obvious (and tiresome) to me that this movie pandered to the Gay Rights agenda and tried to gain sympathy for (persecuted and misunderstood) gays. If you like movies with lots of action and special effects, you will love this film. Some crude language and wording, lots of death, not an uplifting movie. Not for children.My Ratings: Offensive / 5—Maggie Hays, age 58

Neutral—…The graphics were amazing. There was definitely way more action in this one. The acting was good just like the first two. There wasn’t as good of a plot in this one though. But there were things in this movie that still stand out giving me a little sour taste in my mouth. There was a scene where Jean Grey was more than forward towards Logan about how physical she wanted to get. I found this scene, as always, uncalled for. It had no need to be in the movie whatsoever. Also, the way some of the characters died in the film were actually disturbing. They weren’t just killed, but they were turned into dust with no turning away with the camera. Everyone in the theater was actually taken back by the way it occurred. Everyone feel to silence. I definitely wouldn’t suggest this movie to anyone under 15. Before going to this movie I definitely suggest praying about it. But if you’re one of the people who will go see this film anyways, be prepared to be taken off guard.My Ratings: Offensive / 4—Zach, age 25

Neutral—Ok, first the good: I thought overall the movie was well made. The story line was interesting, the action was good, and the acting wasn’t incredibly terrible or anything. Good morals like loyalty and trust are encouraged, along with some characters showing a willingness to die for their friends and one character showing unconditional love by saving his father even after they have had a dispute about his mutant genes.

On the other hand we have the bad …The profanity wasn’t too bad, but definitely something you need to watch out for. The worst was the sexual content. I felt very uncomfortable in a few scenes. My friend and I just ended up closing our eyes and not watching a couple parts. To me, the sexual content was a huge turn-off from what could have been an otherwise good movie.My Ratings: Average / 4—Luke, age 18

Neutral—I never really liked the previous X-Men films. Magneto’s costume always looked cheap; Wolverine never wore his trademark yellow/black suit, and they were always, well, boring. While this one did not blow me away, I did find it to be better than the previous two. Very violent for a movie lots of kids will be seeing, though. …My Ratings: Average / 3—Chris, age 21

Neutral—…I did notice how the movie “discussed” differences and how becoming “normal” was good for some and offensive to others. If one’s difference prevents one from doing certain normal things, I don’t object to in a pursuit to become “normal” (or changing that difference so it isn’t there any more. Such was the case with Rogue—her power prevented her from having normal, human contact which has been scientifically proven as a source of healthy infant development.

I appreciated how one character’s father wanted to change him whether he wanted to change or not, but how forgiving the son was. This showed me that it’s okay to love my parents even though I may not agree with their beliefs or actions.—Perfect example of “loving one’s parents, period.”

There was also an example of how numbers don’t matter in the battle, but which side you’re on (in the OT the battle of 300 v. 10,000). There were six X-Men (persons) in the final battle against ALL the “bad” (or misled) mutants. I felt the nudity in the film was somewhat modest and was not displayed in an erotic light since she did try to cover herself (except for Mystic in blue). However, the sex scene was a bit graphic (although the characters were clothed) and not necessary for the story.

The movie demonstrated how not “caging the beast within” can hurt everyone around you, whether you intend it to or not. I think that thinking one can control the “beast” within while displaying other parts of it in certain situations is an illusion. The make up for Juggernaut was very believable—the actor is actually fairly slender, so much so that even steroids couldn’t have bulked him up that much that fast. Also, anyone who stayed after the credits saw potential future for one character and another character’s loss of powers—or mutation isn’t just a one time thing. Also, I’m glad McKellen didn’t get his wish.My Ratings: Average / 4—Judith Lamb, age 34

Negative

Negative—…I do love sci-fi and a good storyline. It is really tough as a parent to draw the line between being legalistic and being wise. There is a lot of violence and some really cheesy dialogue. There is a very stimulating sex scene and a beautiful, completely nude woman who covers herself in the important areas, but it’s still a very seductive thing. We would not want our family to see a totally naked woman in real life, even if she had her hands covering herself, why would we want them to see it in the movie?

The scene that is the biggest issue for me is the one between Wolverine and Jane. This is very passionate and completely on screen, until he figures out that there is something in her eyes that he doesn’t recognize, and he stops. To me, this is more than I want to see and certainly not my teens. This is quite a long scene and is very seductive.

How hard is it is to not see a movie that is such a great hit and a wonderful fictional art? It’s a great escape for most of us. But do be forewarned; it is a very sexual scene. So you have to decide what is right for your family.My Ratings: Offensive / 4—Karen, age 50

Negative—I am someone who, like most reviewers here, has seen the first two movies in the X Men series, and really liked them both. I had high hopes that this would be a fitting conclusion to the wonderful series that MARVEL had made. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. This new part in the X Men series centres heavily around not only Magneto and his efforts to make mutantkind the most dominant on the planet, but also Jean, whom, as we remember from X2, was swept away in a dam burst saving the mutants led by Xavier. Jean now has come back, and is terribly unstable. After luring Scott (or Cyclops) to the dam to be killed, Jean begins to wreak havoc in the land. Xavier mentions that she has a “phoenix” within her, which, if uncontrolled, exposes her to the greatest amount of uncontrollable rage in the entirety of mutantkind. She resists Xavier’s attempts to calm her down…

This is a movie that is basically all action with a paper thin plot and script. It starts off well, but then deteriorates into nothing more than mindless action-packed fighting and big effects. It does not have the magic that Brian Singer brought in the first two movies. There is very little in character development, with most scenes resorting to battles, military action and mutant powers. The storyline was flat and dull, and most characters (with the exception of Wolverine, and, for her part, the changeling woman) were virtually wooden. Some of the characters, such as Juggernaut and Angel, had wasted characters that this movie could have done without. Most directors make the fatal mistake of thinking that the script and plot do not matter, instead action and SFX does. And this movie is a prime example of that. It seemed to be more of a “last person standing” movie, with well known characters (such as Cyclops and Xavier) falling down like a pack of cards. …One thing that I was also disappointed in is the absence of Nightcrawler from X2. He showed then that even mutants can believe in the one true God and follow him.

In terms of profanity and sexuality, both are fairly mild. There were expletive references such as b****, including one reference made by Juggernaut to a young girl. Both Wolverine and Juggernaut make a few profane expletives throughout the movie. In terms of sexuality, there are really only two scenes to be worried about, one being when the changeling woman gets shot by the formula and reverts back to humanhood, and she lies there with no clothes on. (Thankfully, we are spared from anything concerning there). The other was when Jean tried to seduce Wolverine. However, Wolverine pulled back when he saw the odd look in her eyes.

However, there is one scene that is very interesting. Rogue hears of the cure, and is very excited about it because it means that she can finally become human, rid herself of her bothersome mutant ability and do what normal humans can do. She attempts to run away and meets Wolverine before she goes, who lets her go. She says to him “Aren’t you going to tell me not to go?”” Wolverine replies, “I’m not your father, I’m your friend.” Virtually in everyday life, we make decisions, and those decisions affect the consequences of our actions. Some people just want to go with the flow and be like everyone else. God our father would not allow that, even if it makes us different from everyone else. God tells us that as Christians we should make a stand for what we believe in and not “go with the flow” of the world.

But overall, I was very, very disappointed with the movie. It could have been a great ending, but failed to deliver the goods properly. It was basically worthless, mindless and overall, fairly dull. The ending implies also that this isn’t the “last stand” that we were hoping for too, which in effect is very disappointing, as I do not think that this movie series could continue without some of the major characters.My Ratings: Average / 3—Dave, age 20

Negative—I wish that I could say that X3 was better than I had anticipated, but I can’t. The story revolved around a cure for mutants which prohibits the X-Jean from being active in their system. Good news for mutants like Rogue (Marie, as she says later), bad news for mutants like Magneto. He believes that the government will actually try to force the cure on mutants and begins a preemptive strike to send a message. So, the X-Men have to stand against him and his brotherhood.

As far as I am concerned, there were no good points in the movie. The story was the biggest disappointment because it didn’t seem to go anywhere. At one moment, you’ll see Magneto rallying up some troops. Then, the next moment, you’ll see the X-Men trying to cope with the current stage of their situation. … The main plot was a terrible choice. A “civil war” over a mutant cure-all. It didn’t have nearly as much strength as the plot of the second film. The character mechanics and chemistry were all wrong for this film. From Cyclops to Wolverine, Storm, Jean, even Professor X; the feel of these characters seemed to not work out well.

I could have waited a year or two for a good X3. This one seemed like a rush job to beat “Superman Returns” to theaters. What would have been good for this movie perhaps:

Sentinels. Not just the one in the danger room, but actual sentinels created by Trask.

A good plot could have been that the president took Professor X’s message in X2 the wrong way and began to consider a mutant registration act. This would provide more of a premise for Magneto to stand against the government. Also, it could show a struggle as the X-Men try to prove that mutants should be treated as equals. (Jean is not present this whole time).

…Regarding Christian issues, my only problems are the make out scene between Wolverine and Jean (Phoenix) and the constant nudity of Mystique. Although she’s wearing a body suit, I don’t understand why there’s a need to give off this impression. It’s pointless. I also didn’t like Juggernaut cursing out Shadowcat. She’s a kid for goodness sakes.

All in all, save your money. Consider the X-Men movie story to end at X2. This movie was a real let down.My Ratings: Offensive / 1—H.J., age 29

Negative—This is, without question, the worst comic book based movie I’ve ever seen. (And I’ve seen “Fantastic Four”). I have no idea what possessed the studio to make such an awful movie. Let’s break it down: three of the main characters are killed, presumably permanently, and three of the main characters are de-mutified. What?! You’ve got to be kidding me! It’s almost as if the studio wanted it to be a horrible movie. I, for one, am simply going to forget that this movie happened. Don’t waste your money.My Ratings: Average / 1—Adam Jones, age 24

Negative—Well, all I can say folks is this one was not the BIG enchilada that we were hoping for! This movie is such a disappointment! I have been a HUGE fan of the other 2 movies and couldn’t wait for this one!!!

SPOILERS AHEAD—you were warned!! They tried to cram too much in this movie, deaths that are not explained, too much screen time for “the Phoenix” (who is Dr. Jean Gray’s charter), and other characters that we were expecting to be bigger—weren’t! Dr. Gray character is some how wrapped in a “cocoon” in the river—HOW? If she is this “all powerful being” then why did she wait 5 years to emerge? This was a goofy addition to the movie—come on!

The Angel had very small screen time and so did the Multiple Man. I was looking for Night-Crawler from X-2 and never saw him. I think they missed the boat on that one!! He was such a great character! The “Beast” is an awesome addition character! He added so much to the film that think without the Beast—it would have been a TOTAL mess. I was so sad about the deaths in the movie. Something else they could have added towards to end could have been a “fight scene” between Storm and The Phoenix. This would have been more acceptable toward the end. She just stood there at the end fight scene between good and evil mutants. She looked like a robot—and then, she looked like a witch out of a horror movie when she “lost control.” To have Wolverine kill her was just nuts! Why didn’t they just shoot her with the “cure” and let her live?

There was too much killing of main characters. I also didn’t like how main charters from X-1 and X-2 were just dismissed early on in the movie. A perfect example would have been Mystique. She is basically just left in the truck—no help is offered to her by the man she stood by! Magneto! Scott (Cyclops) is also just dismissed. You will see what I mean! Also, Rouge gets cured! WOW! I mean it was so weird. I left feeling very disappointed about this movie. …My Ratings: Offensive / 5—Amy, age 37

Negative—The movie portrays a lot of violence and bad behavior rather than focusing on its original script for the pure mutant and science fiction story. I like the special effects, but the death of the good guys was a bit sad. Lots of double faces or double characters, which make the story interesting. The movie is not good for young people, as it has lots of bad influences—as most young people don’t know what is right and wrong, and just absorb all the values as true and valid.My Ratings: Offensive / 4—Kuosing, age 28

Comments from young people

Negative—…I really couldn’t wait to go see this movie. I left the theater at first thinking “wow that was amazing,” but as I thought about it, they left a lot out AND they could of done SO much more with the movie. The movie was short, they threw in some swear words in dumb places, and they put in a pretty passionate scene that just didn’t need to be in there. Stay for after the credits because a HUGE cliff hanger comes and definitely says sequel all over it. Don’t take your young ones and even teens to see this one. If you do take your teen make sure that he/she is mature enough to handle the heavy themes.My Ratings: Offensive / 4—Tim Whitaker, age 17

Positive—I absolutely loved the first two X-Men movies and was really looking forward to this movie. I was slightly disappointed, but overall enjoyed it. It is obvious that there was a different director involved. I found some of the characters lost their charisma, and the chemistry wasn’t as good. The plot line was a little shallow, and too many characters were introduced. There was a little more language in this one than the previous films. Other than these few things, I liked the movie. The ending was good and suggested another movie in the series is on its way; you have to stay after the credits though, you’ll find out why. You probably wouldn’t be missing out that much if you didn’t see it in theatres.My Ratings: Average / 4—Sarah, age 17

Neutral—First and foremost, I do not believe this movie contains a gay rights agenda. Yes, maybe it contains similarities, but to say the writers were intentionally taking it in that direction is just ridiculous. Second, even if it was somewhat sympathetic to Gays, so what! Homosexuals should not be persecuted; Christians should hate the sin, not the sinner. This films message is not that those that protest are bad, and those that accept are good. Christians can and should protest Gay rights, but we should still love them no matter what. The X-men theme just contains similarities.

Concerning the movie, yes it had some cool parts, but it was mostly just an incoherent mess. The script was awful, it couldn’t find a balance between comic book dialogue and realistic dialogue. Colossus and arch-angel were barely even in it. Cyclops died; for crying out loud he’s the stinkin leader of the X-men and he dies in the first 15 minutes. Juggernaut gets defeated by running into a wall (lame). The fight between Bobby (ice-man) and Pyro, wasn’t even a fight. They build it all up and you want to see these two ex-friends duke it out, but instead, you get a stupid fight that seems to be lifted out of some dumb anime TV show that I watched when I was five. The special effects were sub-par; the stupid bridge scene took up way too much time. The only awesome scene in the film, and one I think justifies seeing the movie, is were Xavier dies, its emotional and the effects look really good…

Finally, I must mention that The Beast just looked fake; isn’t he supposed to be nimble and spry, instead he’s as stiff as a plank of wood. I’m a fan of the comics and the first two movies. A huge fan. This just didn’t live up to the standards. It should of had better character development, and at least have been longer then the first two movies. Its an okay movie, probably not as bad as I make it sound. For someone that likes action movies, and has never read the comics, they will probably love it. But as for now, “Batman” is the reigning comic book movie.My Ratings: Average / 2—Andrew, age 17

Positive—I really liked the first two X-Men movies, and I was excited to see this one. Like the movies before it, it has several gross/disturbing parts. The worst is probably the ten-year-old boy who saws off his wings with a huge carving knife and is surrounded by blood and feathers. There’s also a lot of violent deaths. But as far as the movie went, it was great. The ending was kind of sad, but if you’ve watched any previews, you could guess that. The mutants are all really loyal to each other, and they risk their lives to save others who they don’t even know but want to save them because they’re of the same kind. It’s definitely not for kids because of the weird violence and some sexual content, but I would recommend this movie. It’s a great summer film.My Ratings: Average / 4—Brittney, age 15

Neutral—I went to see this film with a friend last night and walked out of the theatre feeling like I just flushed 7 dollars down the toilet. One of the very first scenes in X-Men 3 had several watchers around me grimacing and covering their eyes. It involves a young boy trying to cut off wings that apparently are growing out of his back. When his father walks in on his bloody, gross attempt he looks astonished that his boy is a mutant and says, “you too?”. The boy starts crying and says, “I’m sorry, dad.” From this scene one can conclude that (according to the filmmaker) homosexuality is NOT a choice and society has forced its gay members into believing that they are not acceptable as they are, therefore causing them to apologize (“I’m sorry, dad”) and showing us, the viewers how completely cruel and unjust we are to people who are different than us. And that was only the second scene of the movie.

Other things a person needs to consider before watching this film are the nudity and sexuality. Mystique is naked. That’s it, and there’s no rationalizing. She’s less clothed than Janet Jackson was during her wardrobe malfunction, and yet many christians still love these movies. Wolverine and Jean/Phoenix make out in a way that some might call “passionate.” It’s not passion. It’s lust. And the whole scene was gross.

The last thing I’ll mention is the cheap script. The characters were flat and while it’s sad when anybody dies, I just couldn’t care when a certain main character died. The humor was childish and Wolverine especially had some cheesy one-liners that made me grimace. Wait… was it supposed to be funny?My Ratings: Offensive / 3—Willow, age 17

Negative—This was not an offensive movie; it just wasn’t very good. The first 2 movies weren’t very offensive and where much better than this was. Brian Singer left this movie to direct the new Superman picture and I think that was a good idea. This was just a bad script. While I cannot recall the name of the director, I have seen several of his films (Rush Hour 1 and 2, Red Dragon) and he did the best job he could. This was no fault of his. This was a very disappointing screenplay. It was hard to feel satisfied after seeing this movie especially after the trailer looked so promising. Honestly though, this is not an offensive movie…My Ratings: Better than Average / 3—Cody Nance, age 16

Positive—I agree with Mr. Karounos when he says that the writing of the third installment of the X-Men franchise is ripe with cultural allusion and lacking in characterization (probably, as he assumes, due to the loss of Ratner as a contributing screenwriter). However—despite the high quality of the review otherwise—Karounos seems to go to magnificent lengths to support his claim that the movie is heavy-handedly a cultural treatise. Though there are many who agree with Mr. K, “Last” is most certainly NOT a societal commentary. It is, as one may expect, a ‘good time’ movie, and, mindlessly uncharacteristic as it is, provides in the way you might expect a comic-book movie to. The racial, feminist, and pseudo-homosexual stances that many reviewers have cast upon the movie are (to say the least) a great stretch.

At one point in his review, Karounos says of Professor X’s encounter with the “‘colored’ Storm: ‘Things are better out there. But you of all people know how fast they can change.’” While this dialogue here may be construed as a commentary on racial issues (the Professor hinting to the shifting slopes of civil rights in past years), this is, most certainly, a misquote. Professor Xavier remarks that Storm knows “how fast the weather can change.” As Storm’s ability in the movie is to rapidly manipulate the weather, this is less racial commentary than a clever play on words.

Many of the “covert references to homosexuality” that Karounos references are, at best, great stretches of a viewers imagination; and, I fear in a “Da Vinci Code” world of conspiracy, that they will be taken too seriously by potential moviegoers. For you Christians on the border here, this movie is NOT A COMMENTARY on current issues. It’s an X-Men movie, folks. And that’s about how serious the movie gets.My Ratings: Better than Average / 4—Zack Mulcahy, age 16

Positive—I think, overall, the movie was pretty good. It had a good story to it, and it had some good action scenes. There are several love scenes that are pretty intense, but other than that it was clean. I was not expecting it to be that great, I had not seen the first two before seeing this one, so I figured I would not understand the story; but I could understand it fairly easily. Overall, I thought the movie was made really well.My Ratings: Average / 5—Cody Nelson, age 17

Positive—This was a pretty good movie. It was typical X-Men, but good. Fairly decent too. If you like X-Men see it in theatres; if you’re indifferent you should still rent it.My Ratings: Average / 4—Tyler Smotherman, age 13

Positive—This was a great closing story to the X-men trilogy. It had great acting, lots of emotion, superb action sequences, and furthered the storyline from the first two movies. The actors were able to show the audience the thoughts and experiences that there character are going through quite convincingly. It is much darker and more violent then in its predecessors. This is a very good story about choosing between what’s right and wrong even if what’s right isn’t necessarily easy. It shows the love that some of the characters have for each other and what they will do for each other and how we shouldn’t be ashamed of who God made us or of the gives that he gave us.

I have to disagree though with the issue of race that this article points out as bad in the movie. When the Professor says “You of all know how fast the weather can change” has nothing to do with race at all. He was talking about how her power allows her to change the weather very easily, and he also was alluding to the fact that the world can change just as easy. When Mystique says she won’t respond to her slave name, she meant her human name and not the name she goes by. None of this was racial at all. What is racial is the discrimination between humans and mutants in the film. We should be accepting to people of all races.

I do have to say though that if you’re under 13 you should not see this movie. It does have a scene of groping and another scene of a naked woman who has covered herself in the appropriate areas with her hands but it is still visually stimulating. Not to mention the few curse words that are scattered through the film.My Ratings: Average / 4—Steve Marks, age 17

Positive—This movie was one of the best I have ever seen. It was better than the first two x-men movies, and tops most action movies I’ve seen (except “Mission: Impossible 3”). I say it has average moral quality and an excellent movie making quality. There is very little language, if none, and very few sexual themes. It is a great movie, but I would not recommend taking anyone younger than 11 or 12 to go see it, and you should think about it before letting an 11 year old see it.My Ratings: Average / 4—Andrew, age 14

Positive—This is definitely the best “X-Men” movie ever!!! I really enjoyed seeing this and will definitely buy it when it comes to DVD. The special effects, the action, the humor were all totally awesome! But I do only recommend this for adults, teens, and mature children. There is some profanity that would not be comfortable for some people to sit through, so I strongly advise, don’t bring the little kids with you to see this. I hope this movie wins best computer effects at the academy awards because it totally deserves it! Thumbs up!My Ratings: Average / 5—Jamey Shelley, age 16

Positive—I saw this movie opening night at 12am. I’ve loved “X-Men” since I was real little; I think this was an excelent movie, not much language, and no nudity, although some sexual material is thrown in there. Not a family movie, but definitely worth seeing for all action movie goers.My Ratings: Average / 4½—Ben M., age 15

Neutral—I both loved and hated this movie!! The ending was very good, though I think Rogue should have stayed a mutant. I loved the fight scenes, but there was a lot of violence. I think this is the worst X-men movie morally, as there was a make-out scene, and it showed a person naked, with only her arms and legs covering herself. The movie had a very good plot line, and the actors were great. I would not say this is the greatest x-men movie, but it was very, very good. If you can deal with some scenes of violence/sexuality, then you should watch this movie!!My Ratings: Offensive / 5—Beka, age 13

Positive—Wow! That is all I have to say about this movie, this thought provoking triology ends well and with a bang. The acting and story are exceptional as always, and the film also brings up many philosophical viewpoints and is very intellectual. If you liked the last two films, not seeing this one would be a crime. The violence is the usual for the X-Men films, and the sex scene is short and nothing to really warrant caution…My Ratings: Offensive / 4—Craig Kile, age 15

Neutral—I have seen the first two X-Men movies, and was very excited to see the 3rd. However, my excitement wore off about 6 months before the movie was supposed to come out on DVD. We rented it and were happy with the cleanliness of it until we reached the end and were apalled by a teenage girl calling an enemy a crude name. Although I wasn’t particularly thrilled by the acting/costumes/stunts/script, I would’ve recommended this movie had it not that one phrase. I do not remember any other crude talking or swearing.My Ratings: Offensive / 3½—Stephanie, age 15